There was a baker and his wife
by Flynn0110
Summary: I was listening to the soundtrack of ST, and when number 4 played, I heard baker instead of barber. And so the idea was born. A short story with a Sweeney Todd storyline and the Hunger Games characters.


_Disclaimer: I don't own any rights referring to the Hunger Games or the storyline of Sweeney Todd. _

**a/n; I was listening to the soundtrack of ST, and when number 4 played, I heard baker instead of barber. And so the idea was born. This story takes place in Panem; Peeta and Katniss never participated in the Hunger Games, Gale and Katniss never were friend, and Prim is not Katniss sister. **

* * *

**There was a baker and his wife**

'Peeta,' Katniss called out when she entered the shop, pulling at her jacket to take it off. He was just finishing the last details on their daughters birthday cake when she joined him at the counter. He looked up from his work, immediately putting down the cream holder he held in his hand as he saw the distress she was not able to hide. 'Hey, what's with that sad face? Something happened on your way to the market?'

She just nodded, eagerly letting herself fall into his outstretched arms. Closing her eyes, she enjoyed the warmth of his body. Her Peeta. Her husband. The one she could always count on. Three years they were married now, three wonderful years. And when little Annie came, they were the happiest parents in the world. She kissed him, and he kissed her back. He could taste the salt of her tears. 'Is it that bad love?'

'They have taken Greasy Sue, Lazy Louie and a bunch of others.' she said gloomy. He caressed her back, trying to soothe her down. 'Who?'

'Peacekeepers. They've invaded the Hob last night. Something about a new policy.' She clutched herself further onto him, laying her chin upon his broad shoulder to rest. 'It could have been me too you know,' she said, trembling. 'I was there just before the raiding. If I had been there any longer, they would have-'

'But you didn't' he said, lifting her head with his index finger so he could look into her eyes. 'You were here with me and the baby. Hush now. They are not going to hurt you. I promise.' A strand of hair was falling into her eyes, and gently, he pushed it aside.

'I know. Its just that…it was just like my dream, and…'

Her dream. Her recurring nightmare. It had begun almost tree months ago. Covered in sweat she'd waken, yelling something about district thirteen, about him. She never could remember what she dreamt exactly, but she always felt ominous afterwards. 'I'm afraid. I don't know why, but it feels like something is going to happen with us. Something awful.'

'What could possibly happen? As long as you, me and Annie are together, I'm the happiest man alive.' He smiled, not at the least aware of the fact that this was just what she feared.

* * *

It was just his daily walk when he saw her at the market. A young woman, standing right across the street with a man at her side and a baby in hand. She was a beauty with her long dark hair, her even face, and well formed body. He wondered who the man could be. Maybe her husband? Not that it mattered though. Even if she was married, it wouldn't make any difference for him. He beckoned his friend, Marvel, who was just having a conversation with one of the salesmen about the quality of some apples. 'Who are they?' he asked him, still in awe about her appearance. Marvel looked up, to the couple he was pointing at. 'Ah, that would be Peeta and Katniss Mellark. They run the local baker shop. Great pies they have.'

'Is she his sister?' he asked; not that he didn't know the answer already, but he just wanted to make sure. And yes, his friend shook his head alright, now totally ignoring his previous interlocutor. 'No. Why, do you fancy her?'

This made the new Head Peacekeeper smirk. 'Perhaps. I would like to meet them. Ah, they're just coming this way.'

'Good day to you madam, sir,' he greeted them politely when they passed him by. The blond man nodded friendly in response. The woman, however, only eyed at him, not really comfortable by his consideration of greeting them.

'I think we haven't had the pleasure of meeting each other yet. My name is Cato; I'm appointed by the capitol to replace your old Head Peacekeeper. Cray I believe his name was.'

Peeta and he shook hands. 'Nice to meet you sir. My name is Peeta, and this is my wife, Katniss.' Proudly, he laid a hand upon her waist as he introduced her. 'And the little one here is our daughter, Annie.'

Cato had nothing to do with kids. So his eyes roamed over Katniss instead, making her anxious. Peeta, however, was oblivious for the other mans attention to his wife. He just smiled when Annie began to chuckle, taking hold of his finger.

'Such a lovely family you have indeed,' Cato acknowledged. 'It would make a man jealous just seeing the three of you together.'

Katniss couldn't help but tighten her grip on Annie, causing the infant to cry. 'Peeta, I think it's time for us to head back now. She needs to sleep.'

'Of course.' He smiled once more to the Head Peacekeeper. 'I guess we will see you again sometime. Bye.' He lead his family back into the direction of the bakery. Cato just stood and watched them until they were out of eyesight. Then, he turned himself to Marvel again. 'I will have her,' he announced to him, his voice vicious. The other man, who had witnessed everything, just shrugged. 'I'm sorry to tell you this, but I would not count on that. She is a very prude one, that girl. And she adores her husband.'

'Then I suggest you find a way for me to get rid of him.' Cato tone was too serious for his friend taste. 'How? Do you want me to kill him?' Marvel said, not really happy with the idea. He really liked the bakers pies. It would be a pity to miss them.

Cato just shook his head. 'I wish you could, but that would only make her more deviant towards me. No. There must be a way to get to him, without risking her scorn.' He only had to find out what.

* * *

'What?' Peeta asked angrily, not registering what the man just had said. He just sighed. 'I said, no flour today. I'm sorry Pete, but it's very difficult to get some at the time. They say there had been a bad harvest of wheat this season. Something to do with locusts?'

'You said the same two weeks ago! And the weeks before that. You told me you would look into it. Is there no way you can get any? Our supply is nearly at an end.'

'Like I said, I'm sorry, but I can't help you. Now, if you would excuse me please, I have other business to attend to.'

'No, that will not do.' Peeta lost his temper. He grabbed the man by his shirt, forcing him to listen. 'I ordered this weeks ago! So I expect you to deliver. I have a bakery for goodness sake. How can I sell bread, when I don't have the ingredients to make it?'

'I suggest you could sell something else then?' the other man tried, face turning blue when Peeta cut of his air pipe. 'Like what?' he barked darkly.

'Come on love, there is no reason to use violence now,' Katniss came between them, pulling her husband away from the salesman. 'You will only make it worse,' she warned him, when it looked like he wanted to made another go for him. Peeta looked at his wife, saw the fright in her grey eyes, and forced himself to count till ten. 'Alright,' he said eventually, when he finally calmed down a bit. 'It's just that…why is this happening? We were doing fine just two months ago. I…I don't understand.'

She did. 'Just come along love,' she whispered to him, guiding him away from the stand and the livid salesman. She was no fool; she knew who was behind all of this. But she couldn't tell him. She was afraid it would only make things more complicated when he found out. Ever since that day on the market, she had felt his eyes, following her with every move she made. Head Peacekeeper Cato. He had also approached her on several occasions, chattering joyfully with her, offering her all kinds of small gifts. She had all of them declined of course. But that didn't seem to stop him in his wooing. One day, they delivered a huge bouquet of red roses at the bakery. Peeta had just teased her with it, asking her who this new lover was, not at the least worrying about it. Her husband. Her kind but naïve husband. She wondered how long the Head Peacekeeper would continue his game. It was obvious the man was trying to ruin them.

'I promise you, things will get better,' Peeta said after a while, looking at the nose of his shoes while talking. She could she the frustration he was fighting against. 'What are you talking about? It's not you fault the salesman can't deliver, now is it?'

'You don't understand. I made a promise once that nothing bad would happen to you as long were together. I'm intended to keep that promise.' She took him in her arms, holding him tightly as she tried to comfort him. 'I know you will love. I know you will.'

* * *

It was late. She could hear Annie cry upstairs. She couldn't sleep either. Her stomach just would not cooperate. Not for the first time this evening she looked out of the window at the trees at the border of the Seam. Peeta was out at the moment. Probably with his father to beg for some supplies. He had forbidden her to leave the house, but still…If she didn't do anything, they would all starve. So she took her bow, her hunting jacket, and went to the fence. If she knew then what kind of trouble this would brought them, she never would have done it. But she didn't. So she went.

* * *

'Katniss?' When he came home, she was gone. He immediately knew what she had done. 'That damn woman!' he cursed, throwing his keys upon the table. Then he went straight up to the nursery. Annie was still crying, so he took her out of her crib and began to sing for her, hoping it would soothe her. When he finally heard the door open again, he took her with him downstairs, seeing Katniss in the doorpost of their home. She was holding a bag that was leaking with blood. She looked pale, frightend. 'Something wrong?'

She jumped up, startled by his sudden apperance. She felt caught when she saw the look in his eyes. 'I know, I promised not to, but we were starving,' she said apologetically. He didn't respond, only took the bag from her so she could change her clothes. 'I caught a goose,' she said after a while. 'And some squirrels. Look.' She took them out of the bag, displacing them onto the counter. 'See. At least we will have something to eat the next couple of days.'

'You left Annie alone,' he said, his voice cool. He then turned his back to her, not wanting to speak any longer. She sighed. 'Fine. Be angry. As long as you realise I did this for us.'

'I don't want a huntress. I want a mother for Annie. What will happen do you think when the Peacekeepers find out? Huh? They will take you away. They will banish you to the thirteenth district, like all the other thieves and poachers. What becomes of Annie then? Or me?'

'Please,' she said, fighting the tears clouding her eyes. In his arms, Annie began to cry too. He sighed. 'I'm just concerned, that's all. I told you not to go, just because I don't want to give them any excuse to take you away.'

'They will not love. I promise.'

He nodded. 'Well, bring the bag to the cellar then. We will hang the meat there till tomorrow, so it can bleed out.'

* * *

The bell rang as two Peacekeepers entered his shop. He looked up from his work, startled by their sudden presence. What was going on? 'Can I help you gentleman?' he asked politely, as he whipped off his with flour covert hands. He took a step away from the counter.

'Peeta Mellard?' the tallest of the two asked him. Peeta only nodded. 'Yes?'

'Is your lovely wife at home by any change?' the other informed while he screened the room for a glimpse of her. Thank goodness she was upstairs with Annie.

'And what is your business with my wife?' He didn't like this. Something must have gone terribly wrong last night. The look on Katniss face when she entered the house, these two man now being here…

'We would like to speak to your wife please,' the fist one stated. A cocky smile adorned his face. 'I'll suggest you better call her.'

For a moment, he didn't knew what to do. He could not decline their request; such an act alone would have be seen as treason, but he didn't want to oblige them either. 'She's not here,' he answered after a while, only hoping they would believe him.

The two peacekeepers exchanged looks. 'That's a pity. Would you mind if we take a quick look at your house instead?'

'As a matter of fact I do,' he said, while he managed to keep his tone neutral. 'You have no business here, so I suggest you better leave my house.'

They didn't listen though; one was already at the door of their cellar with a flashlight, looking downstairs as if he was searching for something. 'Look what we have here,' he said viciously, shining with his light onto the dead animals. 'I think you owe us an explanation baker.'

* * *

He was just going over some paperwork when someone entered his studie. 'Marvel,' he greeted, never looking up from his desk as the young man approached him. 'What are you doing here? Cant you see I'm busy?'

Marvel only smirked. 'There is a young woman to see you, Cato,' he answered. 'One Katniss Mellark. Says she wanted to talk to you about her husband?'

'Let her in.' He laid down the pen he was holding and sat back, waiting for the familiar face to appear. When she entered, he couldn't help himself but smile. 'Katniss…what a nice surprise. Come in.' He gestured towards the chair in front of his desk. 'Take a seat.'

'Thank you, but I rather remain standing if you don't mind,' she replied harshly. She also remained at the doorpost, just in case. He squinted, his chin resting onto his hands as he measured her from head to toe. The girl was gorgeously looking, as always. Again he felt his jealousy rise at the mere thought she was married to another man. 'Very well, as you wish. Now tell me, what can I do for you?'

'You know why I'm here,' she proclaimed, daring him with her eyes to deny it. 'You know my husband is innocent of the crime you've put on him.'

'On the contrary my dear. He had trespassed the fences to hunt for game; the prove of his crime was still bleeding in his cellar when my men came for him.'

'He didn't do it.' _I had_, she almost shouted. But she didn't dare. What if he decided to bring her in too? What would happen with little Annie? 'Please. I came here to plea on his behalf. His daughter and I; we were starving. We needed the game in order to survive.'

He could not care less. She could see it in his eyes. She bit her lip out of frustration. 'Please, let him go. I beg of you. Let him return to our bakery, and I swear, he will never trespass those fences again. Just let him return to his family.'

'And why would I do that?' He came out of his chair, towards her, and she had to restrain herself not to flee. The look in his eyes was one of a madman, possessive and lustful. She flinched when he took hold of her arm, pulling her further into the room, in the meanwhile closing the door behind her with his foot. He pinched her legs to his desk, holding her there with his body. 'Tell me girl, after all the time you ignored me, why would I do something for you?'

She stared him straight in the eye, frightened. 'Because you're the one who brought this down on us. I know the merchants didn't want to trade with us anymore because you told them severe consequences would follow if they did. You let us starve, and why?' She began to whimper. 'Why do you hate us so much?'

Slowly, he caressed her face, a finger following her jaw line, till his hand lay at the back of her neck, pulling it towards his. 'Dear Katniss, I don't hate you,' he whispered, lowering his lips to hers. When he kissed her, she began to struggle, desperately trying to get away. He only used more force on her. 'Don't you see…don't you feel how I long for you? How I want you to be mine?' He pressed his body roughly against hers. There was no chance she could deny it.

'Get away from me!' she screamed. 'I will never be yours. I love my husband.'

The slap he delivered knocked the air out of her. 'Your lovely husband will be deported to the thirteenth district tomorrow. I'll say it's time for you to find a new benefactor.'

'If you dare to touch me,' she warned, but they both knew it was an empty threat. He laughed at her despair. 'Now, don't be so shy my dear. I know you can love me.'

'You're mad,' she concluded, as tears crept into her eyes. Slowly she began to realise there was no escape from this, nowhere to run. The Peacekeeper at the other end of the door would not come to her aid, otherwise he would have done it already.

'Sht…Don't cry. Everything is going to be alright. I promise.' He pulled her down with him, stretching her out onto the floor. 'Sht….Sht…' He kissed her, his hand tracing the curves of her waist, her belly, her breasts. 'You're so beautiful…' he moaned against her lips. She closed her eyes, pretending hard to be elsewhere. She didn't want to know what he did to her body, didn't want to feel his hands that were all over her. 'I could be good for you, you know…if you just give me a chance.'

'Never,' she whispered. She automatically covered her nakedness with her hands when he undid her dress. 'Don't,' he only stated, taking her wrists in both hands. She bit her lip when he entered her. When she finally passed out, she embraced the dark with al eagerness.

* * *

Peeta Mellark took one last look upon the district that he once called his home. His request to see Katniss and Annie for the final time had yet again been denied. He craved to see them, hold them, if only for a few minutes. But instead, the hovercraft came to bring him to district thirteen, and all he could do was think of one thing. _I'll come back. And if I do, I will have my revenge. _


End file.
